Automatic signal



W. LARKIN.

AUTOMATIC SIGNAL.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 15. 191i.

Patented May 20, 1919.

WITNESSES: M JW 1 tion.

WILLIAM LARKIN, OF TACOMA, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF 'IO JOHN A. MILLER, OF OKANOGAN COUNTY, WASHINGTON.

AUTOMATIC SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2c, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM LARKIN, citizen of the United States, residin at Tacoma, in the county of Pierce and tate of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Signals, of which the following is a specifica- This invention relates to automatic signals for highway grade crossings and hasfor its principal object to provide an improved and novel type of signal for temporarily closing a road from either approach at a point where it crosses the railway track; to provide novel semaphore means for indicating the presence or approach of a vehicle "having a headlight on the opposite side of the railroad track. It is a source of much danger and loss of life to automobiles to have to cross a railway grade crossing without adequate signal protection. My device is designed to cheaply and economically obviate the above dangers b providing indicating signals which are tii rown into danger position by the approach of'a train in either direction and which, when in the danger position, will indicate the presence of or the approach of an automobile coming in the opposite direction along the road. My device also has means for indicating to the driver of a vehicle on the opposite side of the railroad oppositely to him.

Other objects will appear as my invention is more fully explained in the following specification, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the ap- --track the presence of one which is located pended claim.

In the drawings Figure 1 indicates diagrammatically the wiring lay-out of a section of railroad track and sectionally the mechanical features of my device. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of my improved semaphore board. Fig. 3 is a plan of same with parts broken away. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of a preferred form of signal board. Fig. -5 is a sectional plan of same.

Referring more particularly to the drawings numeral 1 indicates the parallel rails of a railway track across which a highway road 2 passes. The track or either side of the road is insulated from the adjacent portions of the track as at 3 in order to form a single block. A battery l is connected one side to each of the rails 1. A relay 5 is also connected to either rail. It will be understood that the battery 4 and relay 5 are connected to the rails at the extreme outer ends of the block and that when the rails are not short circuited the relay is charged from the battery through the rails. It will be. apparent that the armature 6 of the relay will be held up in contact with the core of the relay so long as no train passes into the block, but as soon as a truck 7 passes into the block the battery 4 will be short circuited, thereby releasing, under the action of gravity, the armature. My semaphore post 8 is positioned on one side of the track adjacent the road and supports a semaphore board 9 which is of suflicient length to reach well across the road when in the danger position; It will be further understood that the semaphore board is positioned horizontally across the road and at about the height of the head llghts of an automobile above the road, when in the danger position. The means for operating the semaphore board 9 include a solenoid 10 which is energized from a battery 11 when the semaphore board is maintained in clear position. So long as the road is clear the board is maintained thus. A circuit 12 which includes the solenoid 10 and battery 11 also includes armature 6 which serves as a circuit breaker so that when the armature is released by the relay the circuit will be open. One end of the core of the solenoid is connected to one end of the lever 13 to the other end of which a semaphore rod 14 is pivoted. Rod 14 passes upwardly through semaphore post 8 and connects at its other end to a toothed lever 15 which is mounted on a pin 16 in post 8. The teeth of lever 15 mesh with the teeth of a mutilated pinion 17 which is secured to semaphore 9. The semaphore and pmlon 17 are mounted on a shaft 18 which takes bearing in a bracket 19. It will be understood that the semaphore board 9 is in clear position as shown in Fig. 1 and that as soon as armature 6 is released from the relay 5 by a train passing into the block, the solenoid core is released which permits of the semaphore board dropping down into horizontal or danger position across the highway. Near the outer end of semaphore board 9 I insert a lens'20 of red glass. This lens is called a dead light and under normal conditions does not make itself apparent in the dark but as soon as a light, as from the headlight of an automobile, is thrown against the lens it will show a red or danhind it. In Figs. 4 and 5 I show a modified form of semaphore board ,9 in that a reflecting rim 21 is positioned on one side of the lens 20 for the'purpose of catching some of the rays of light which pass through the lens in one direction, and reflecting them back through the lens thereby making an outer ring of brighter red than the balance of the lens appears to be. This in no way affects the utility of that part of the lens which is not covered by a reflector. An auxiliary lens 22 of the same type as shown in' Fig. 2 is freely suspended Within a hanger 23 from a shaft 24 on the outer end of semaphore board 9. The advantage of the auxiliary lens lies in the fact that when the semaphore board is dropped into danger position the hanger 23 will swing freely like a pendulum back and forth in front of approaching vehicles.

When the light from vehicles strikes the auxiliary lens it will have much the same appearance as of a swinging lantern across embodiment of my invention, I am aware that many minor changes therein will readily. suggest themselves to others skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and I therefore desire to avoid being limited to the exact form shown and described.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is;

In a semaphore board the combination of a dead light formed of transparent lens of colored glass set in the said board adjacent its outer end, whereby when the board is placed within the path of light from a vehicle headlight the dead light will be visibly illuminated from either direction, and auxiliary dead light swingably suspended from the semaphore board, whereby when swinging within a path of light it will give the illuminated appearance of a swinging lantern.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM LARKIN. Witnesses:

FRANK H. FOWLER, MARGUERITE LYDA. 

